Just Because Lockheed Says They Can Build A Mach 6 Spy Plane Doesn't Mean We Need One

From: Jalopnik

Quote :

Extreme speed is once again becoming a prized quality at the Pentagon after a two decade long hiatus following the retirement of the SR-71 Blackbird. Now Lockheed says it can build 3,800 MPH proof-of-concept jet in just a couple of years time, an aircraft that could lead to an fully operational “SR-72.” Amazing as that sounds, does the Air Force even need such an aircraft at all?

...Lockheed thinks they can have this demonstrator flying by 2018, so we are not talking about a long-term development program here. In fact, the the stated timeline is so ambitious that it wouldn’t be surprising if the project was already underway in classified form.

---

---

Eric's comments: Now, we're not exactly running a surplus as a nation. This is cool stuff and it would be great to have, but we have borrowed enough as a nation. The practice of routinely raising the debt limit is insanity to me. The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is bleeding us dry already. Perhaps if another country like Russia or China started building them, yeah, fund 'em. But not now, please.

Eric wrote:

From: Jalopnik

Quote :

Extreme speed is once again becoming a prized quality at the Pentagon after a two decade long hiatus following the retirement of the SR-71 Blackbird. Now Lockheed says it can build 3,800 MPH proof-of-concept jet in just a couple of years time, an aircraft that could lead to an fully operational “SR-72.” Amazing as that sounds, does the Air Force even need such an aircraft at all?

...Lockheed thinks they can have this demonstrator flying by 2018, so we are not talking about a long-term development program here. In fact, the the stated timeline is so ambitious that it wouldn’t be surprising if the project was already underway in classified form.

---

---

Eric's comments:  Now, we're not exactly running a surplus as a nation.  This is cool stuff and it would be great to have, but we have borrowed enough as a nation.  The practice of routinely raising the debt limit is insanity to me.  The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is bleeding us dry already.  Perhaps if another country like Russia or China started building them, yeah, fund 'em.  But not now, please.

Agree....the defense budget should be under the same scrutiny as any other departments...It would be a welcome change if those in charge would chose to exhibit some fiscal restraint/responsibility....well it sounded good when I typed it at least.....

I suspect this aircraft has been under development for years. Does the nation need it? Probably, satellites are great but they are limited; if a national emergency requires some near real-time intelligence a flyover might be the only option.

I do think the F-35 is one of the most bloated and unnecessary programs I've seen. That flying junkyard will be obsolete before they finish half the outrageously expensive production run.

nochain wrote:

I suspect this aircraft has been under development for years. Does the nation need it? Probably, satellites are great but they are limited; if a national emergency requires some near real-time intelligence a flyover might be the only option.

I do think the F-35 is one of the most bloated and unnecessary programs I've seen. That flying junkyard will be obsolete before they finish half the outrageously expensive production run.

When politicians won't listen to those in the military that tell them over and over...we don't want it....It certainly explains why we're in the mess that we are....

A BIG part of the expense of ships and aircraft are caused by the manufacturers and govt inspectors.. If John's repair procedures call for the use of John's wrench # 1234, the wrench must be used or it's not following the repair procedures.. The problem is that John's wrench #1234 is a typical 9/16" wrench made by New Britain, Snap On, Craftsman, or Mac with John's part number and $100 price tag instead of the typical $7.00 price tag.. That is where the $500 coffee pots come from on airplanes..

Like MW says, there are many weapons the military does not want, but are forced to take by the politicians that want to keep a factory working.. The army does NOT want new tanks, but they are built in Ohio and put in storage or sold/given to other countries.. WHY not have that factory making farm tractors instead of sending the farm tractor manufacturer overseas to China?? Catapillar tractors are being made in China when they could be made here with the workers paying income taxes and social security instead of collecting unemployment and welfare..

The F-35 is a super hot topic up here because it means base closures. I tend to keep my mouth shut because my opinion is not very popular... I do not support throwing good money after bad, not for any reason. We can't just spend money for the sake of spending money.

riceme wrote:

The F-35 is a super hot topic up here because it means base closures. I tend to keep my mouth shut because my opinion is not very popular... I do not support throwing good money after bad, not for any reason. We can't just spend money for the sake of spending money.

Not supporting 'throwing good money after bad' certainly wouldn't set well with the status quo...too big to fail crowd that has done just that for decades all the while lining their bloated...greedy pockets....Maybe it's long overdue for a huge cleaning in government and I'd bet if that were to ever happen there'd be red faces on both sides of the aisle...

mediawatcher wrote:

riceme wrote:

The F-35 is a super hot topic up here because it means base closures. I tend to keep my mouth shut because my opinion is not very popular... I do not support throwing good money after bad, not for any reason. We can't just spend money for the sake of spending money.

        Not supporting 'throwing good money after bad' certainly wouldn't set well with the status quo...too big to fail crowd that has done just that for decades all the while lining their bloated...greedy pockets....Maybe it's long overdue for a huge cleaning in government and I'd bet if that were to ever happen there'd be red faces on both sides of the aisle...

Right, agreed. And this brings me back to my least favorite topic of the year, which is that I have no idea who I am going to vote for. I don't just dislike all the candidates, I detest all of them. Like openly and violently hate them. I wasn't in love with Rand Paul but I could have forced myself to vote for him.

Seriously people, I might be one of those jerks who doesn't vote (for POTUS) this year.

Okay, back to topic. Sorry.

The thing is, do you want the govt to keep running the way it is, to increase give away programs to ILLEGAL aliens and people that never earned them, or to cut the give away programs  so people have to work for what they get?  One way will change nothing, the second will add more burden to the working taxpayers, and the third will take a little time for the jobs to move back and employees to get hired and trained..  The biggest problem will be finding workers that are qualified to do the jobs and have work ethics good enough to keep working for years as they change positions and possibly move up in the company..

That is not even remotely the subject.

Have you guys read about this deathtrap CF-in-the-making?

http://www.msn.com/en-us/video/other/us-militarys-new-vertical-takeoff-aircraft/vi-BBqnAKK

A thousand noes.

They fly Ospreys around here and man, they are noisy!  They ain't gonna sneak up on anybody.  

That LightningStrike doesn't look to utilitarian.  Unmanned... for what?  At least, the Ospreys can carry people.

Eric wrote:

They fly Ospreys around here and man, they are noisy!  They ain't gonna sneak up on anybody.  

That LightningStrike doesn't look to utilitarian.  Unmanned... for what?  At least, the Ospreys can carry people.

Yeah, an Osprey scared the shit out of my buddy and me once. One came up when we were fishing off NAS late one afternoon. Holy smokes you're not kidding they're loud!!

Oh I didn't catch that it was unmanned! lol, wtf! I am having trouble understanding what the lightening strike would be good for besides burning up our tax dollars. But hey, I have trouble with the Ospreys too.

Looks like a LOT of moving parts = maintenance nightmare. But then designers don't have to fix the things in the field.....

nochain wrote:

Looks like a LOT of moving parts = maintenance nightmare. But then designers don't have to fix the things in the field.....

That's exactly the same thing I was thinking.... WAY too many moving parts and f-ing design engineers never have to repair or maintain the bs they design! I am a big fan of KISS = Keep It Simple, Stupid.

riceme wrote:

nochain wrote:

Looks like a LOT of moving parts = maintenance nightmare. But then designers don't have to fix the things in the field.....

That's exactly the same thing I was thinking.... WAY too many moving parts and f-ing design engineers never have to repair or maintain the bs they design! I am a big fan of KISS = Keep It Simple, Stupid.

Keep It Simple Stupid....and DELIVER what you promised at the agreed upon price that was bid....Not only don't they have to fix their errors under less than normal conditions they're used to jacking up the prices to fix their errors...